1. FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an operator held support for cameras, more specifically, to a shoulder-hand support for small video cameras.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
The design trend of hand cameras is toward smaller, lightweight models. During the past decade designers have made great progress toward reducing the size and weight of cameras. The success in size reduction is especially noticeable in the field of video camcorders. Currently, many models of the new camcorders can be held in the palm of the hand. This small size, being convenient and easy to carry has captured a large share of the video camera market, especially among amateurs. However, they are noted for one widely recognized problem. It is difficult to hold the small camcorders steady during use. Therefore they produce images which appear shaky and annoying when viewed on television. Most small models are designed to be held by one hand in front of, and slightly to the side of the users face on a line in front of the right shoulder. The hand is supported only by the user's vertical forearm. This method of operation results in a nervous, high frequency movement of the hand and camera, which produces the shaky images.
In the past, inventors have created a number of devices designed to steady or stabilize cameras during hand held use. Most were designed for still cameras which are normally held in front of the users face, thus many do not provide proper eye to eyepiece alignment when used with video cameras and held in front of the shoulder. Also, most are relatively large, complex and require significant manipulation because of numerous adjustments and associated locking devices. They are at least several magnitudes of size larger than the current compact video cameras and are therefore incompatible.
In essence, the design of these stabilizers may be adequate for many camera styles, but they are unsatisfactory for today's "Miracles you can put in your pocket". Small video camera designs have simply out paced available stabilizers. It is inconsistent to expect a user to purchase a pocket sized video camera primarily because of its handy, small size, then be content with a stabilizing device two to five times that size, and one which requires considerable manipulation.
Previously patented camera supports include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,327,986 to Carter (1982), 4,687,309 to Breslau (1987), and 4,943,820 to Larock (1990). These are body mounted or harnessed with straps. They are large, bulky, inconvenient and cumbersome to prepare for use; or if worn continuously for ready use, are uncomfortable; do not possess a neat and uniform appearance, and leave the camera unprotected, thus, subject to damage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,437,753 to Dunn (1984), 4,727,390 to Brown (1988), 4,963,904 to Lee (1990), and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 302,561 to Goins (1989) are relatively complex, unhandy supporting devices which include a number of arms and locking knobs requiring significant manipulation to use and are expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,966 to Knaudt (1985) is very complex, with numerous parts and locking mechanisms making it expensive to manufacture. It is designed specifically for a still camera, and it incorporates a built-in camera shutter release and film wind mechanism. It is unsuitable for a video camera.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,660 to Rudolf (1985) incorporates a bipod support which centers on the user's chest, thus making eye-to-eyepiece alignment difficult for use with most compact camcorders which are designed to be held on a line in front of the right shoulder and forward of the face. Also, it requires manually manipulating a locking screw to secure the supporting member in any position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 270,734 to Emerson (1983), U.S. Pat. No. Des. 290,709 to Hedrick (1987), U.S. Pat. No. Des. 302,171 to Assel and West (1989), and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 309,907 to Herb (1990) are straight, non-collapsing styles, therefore bulky and difficult to carry, and none provide a means to adjust the shoulder support elevation, whereby the user can better align his eye with the camera viewfinder.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 276,620 to Hanke (1984) is only partly collapsible, therefore relatively large for current camcorders. Its size does not allow attachment to a camera while carried in a small protective bag; therefore, the camera is exposed to damage. It does not provide a shoulder support elevation adjustment for comfortable eye-to-eyepiece alignment.
In summary, most prior art is for still cameras and therefore designed to be held in front of the users face, rather than to the side, or it is large, bulky and cumbersome, and requires considerable manipulation. None provide a satisfactory combination of small, compact, convenient, handy, and low cost features suitable for use with the current compact video cameras. None yield a stabilizer which requires minimum manipulation, and which possesses the neat and uniform appearance necessary to be compatible with the new breed of camcorders.